The safety debate in alpine skiing seems to have fallen asleep this winter despite two fatal accidents. There is enough starting point, at least the Austrian speed men find – airbag vest and thicker racing suits would be two.”But there you run against a wall”, Hannes Reichelt sees omissions at the Skiing World Association (FIS).”We are simply completely unprotected.”
“The only thing we have is the back protector and the knees,”Reichelt made clear. First of all “I need a much thicker racing suit, then a few leather parts. Just that you’re looking towards the motorcycle.”
With the airbag developed by Dainese and used in the World Cup for two years, the Salzburg driver is no longer on the road:”It’s an aerodynamic disadvantage, and I get so much air too,”argued Reichelt.
In the ÖSV team, he is not the only athlete who rides “topless”, and even internationally, after initial positive signals, he is increasingly relying less and less on the system. Reichelt believes that voluntary action is the decisive factor, says Reichelt, taking up the obligation of the FIS World Ski Federation:”There must be rules, then everyone has to do it, then it is the same for everyone,”he emphasised.
Vincent Kriechmayr, driving in an airbag vest, takes his team mate’s side:”I can’t understand why there is a discussion about whether it’s safe or not. Of course he’s bringing something. But as long as the FIS doesn’t help and has a word of command, nothing will ever change,”said the Upper Austrian.
As an athlete’s spokesman, Reichelt has at least access to the trials within the World Federation. I thought I could change something, but you’re running against a wall,”criticized the 37-year-old.” Probably the wrong people are sitting there, deciding something like that,”he said,” There are various bodies where such things have to happen. And often it’s the case that everyone wants to defend their job.”
According to ÖSV speed boss Sepp Brunner, various and conflicting interests would play a major role, and once again there has been more talk about it,”said the Styrian. The fact is that Dainese is in competition with other companies that develop similar concepts or have already presented them.
The high costs associated with production and marketing play a major role. If Dainese is not in the equipment pool of a national federation, the purchase is expensive:”When a youngster falls and there is a release, he has to replace him,”explained Brunner.
What the airbag and other protectors could have done in David Poisson and Max Burkhart’s fatal training crashes, however, will no longer be apparent. Brunner is principally concerned with creating more permanent training courses with the greatest possible safety, especially for young athletes.
“For me, Copper Mountain is a role model. They brought that together years ago. I believe that we must now give impetus in this direction,”he said,”you need money for something like this, that is clear. But skiing is a great sport and downhill skiing is very important, especially for Austria, Switzerland and Italy. I don’t think we’ve done enough in recent years.”
In Austria Saalbach is a safe route,”but you might need something in the east and west as well”. However, Brunner is also aware that there will always be a residual risk.